The Washington University football team kicks off a new season this upcoming Saturday, Sept. 7 against the University of Chicago. Entering his fourth decade as head coach, Larry Kindbom will try and lead his team to their fourth NCAA playoff appearance. After finishing with a 7-2 conference record and 8-2 record overall last fall in the team’s inaugural season in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, Kindbom stands at 185-116 in terms of his career record at Wash. U., which makes him the school’s coach with the most wins of all-time. During the offseason, Kindbom finalized his 2019-2020 coaching staff by adding Paul Charbonneau as assistant coach for running backs, and the Red and Green are now primed to add to Kindbom’s history of success.

The Bears will face off against Chicago hoping to continue their relative dominance against the Maroons, as Wash. U. comes into the teams’ 38th all-time matchup against them with a 25-12 record. The Maroons finished off their season last year with a 4-1 conference record and 7-3 overall record, finishing the season on a four-game win streak after a slow start to the year. This first game of the year will act as the 33rd annual Founder’s Cup, which commemorates the first game played between two University Athletic Association (UAA) schools every season. With the Bears’ 24-17 victory against Chicago last September on Francis Field, Wash. U. holds a steady 24-8 all time Founder’s Cup record.

Grace Bruton | Student Life

Quarterback Johnny Davidson evades a University of Chicago pass rusher last fall.

Notable players returning for the Red and Green include senior running back John Fisher, who averaged 69.6 rushing yards per game and 4.9 rushing yards per carry last season, totaling a team high 696 net yards. Joining him are fellow running backs senior Emmanuel Engermann and junior Emmanuel Ebirim, who averaged 1.9 and 5.2 yards per carry last season, respectively. Senior wide receiver Mitchel Groen will enter his last year of college football looking to improve further after finishing last year with 10.1 yards per catch and a total of 443 yards for the season. Senior wide receiver Nick Watts was second amongst active players this year, with 247 total yards last season with 11.2 yards per catch, and will enter the season like Groen, looking for more opportunities to shine.

To top off the offensive personnel, it would be criminal to not mention Johnny Football himself, senior quarterback Johnny Davidson. One of the four captains of the team (along with senior tight end Kyle Cummings, senior linebacker Jeff Marek, and senior defensive lineman Clayton Farris), Davidson will look to build upon his Wash. U. legacy. Entering the 2019-2020 season, he stands third in Wash. U. history in total passing yards with 5,042. If Davidon’s 42 career touchdowns, 299.2 yards per game, and 2,992 total yards amount to anything, it means that by the time he graduates, he will have surpassed Thor Larsen, who is second all-time with 6,713 total yards and 68 career touchdowns. Davidson was one of the key contributors to the team’s success last season, leading his team to a 10-7 overall record in the 17 games he has started going back to 2017, and he will look to raise that winning percentage even higher this upcoming season.

On the defensive side of the ball, notable returning players include but are not limited to defensive linemen junior Peter Pigatti, Marek, junior defensive back Andrew Whitaker and senior linebacker Jarrod Huther. Pigatti led the team last year with 11 sacks for 54 yards of loss. Marek, who was first amongst active players last year with 73 total tackles along with three interceptions for 91 yards, was followed by Whitaker with 58 total tackles and Huther with 54 total tackles. Defensive back senior Justin DiCarlo led all active players with four interceptions last year for five yards gained.

Despite last year’s successes and failures, this team is ready to make a serious push for the NCAA tournament this year. With the older veteran players leading and setting the standard for the younger players who will hopefully follow in their footsteps, the future is looking up for the Red and Green. The game on Saturday is at 6 p.m., and the Bears will have their home opener in two weeks, on Saturday, Sept. 21 against perennial rival North Central College.